Initially built around cost benefits and an improving telecom infrastructure that would allow Indians to follow the US workday, technology is now battling a sweeping wave of de-globalization and automation: Emerging technologies where talent is scarce will likely be the winners when value migration is complete, according to hiring and compensation data.

At least five search firms and HR heads at technology companies told ET that the demand for professionals with expertise in robotics, machine learning, artificial learning and data science has increased by up to 50% over the last year.

Hirings at the top end of the technology spectrum will replace jobs that are repetitive in structure and content, creating a recruitment market premised largely on emerging technologies.

“While low-skilled jobs will drop by 30%, automation is expected to increase the middle-skilled jobs by 8% and high-skilled recruitments will rise by 56%,” said Debashis Patnaik, senior director, human resources, Dell EMC. Mid-level professionals with at least 12 years of experience are drawing salaries between Rs 40 lakh and Rs 90 lakh in emerging technologies. The pay packets go up to a few crores for domain specialists at senior levels.

According to Hunt Partners, a CXO-level search firm, the salaries at the top end are between Rs 2.8 crore and Rs 5.1 crore, inclusive of stock options, bonuses or perquisites.

“Compensation for high-technology talent is at least 40% higher than for normal IT skills as the pool is limited. This is likely to go up as companies are competing for the best talent,” said Ratna Gupta, Director, Hunt Partners. “We expect at least 50% increase in the hiring specific to these skills - big data, artificial intelligence, augmented reality, Internet of Things, mobility and automation,” she said.

Over the past year, the definition of high-end tech talent has changed from just data analysts to experts in robotics, machine learning, tech automation, augmented reality, artificial intelligence, SMAC, and drone technology.

“Primarily, this talent pool is available in Bengaluru, New Delhi and, to some extent, Hyderabad. The majority of professionals hired are returning Indians from Silicon Valley and other mature global markets,” said Nikhil Jaiswal, director of Michael Page India.

Besides high pay-packets, companies in India are offering a complete employment package with other benefits in the form of stock options or flexible arrangements to work remotely, according to Jaiswal, whose firm is now working on six mandates for robotics in banking and consulting sectors. At Korn Ferry, the searches in the digital space are up by at least 30% in the last one year.

“With the shift in business models of most companies (tech and non tech), the demand in talent has changed from services to products and digital,” said Navnit Singh, chairman at Korn Ferry International. SAP India, which hires close to a thousand consultants every year, is also focused on emerging technology.